American Gangster (2007)
Review by Zachary K. Parker
“You are what you are in this world. Either you’re somebody or you ain’t nobody.” Heroin kingpin Frank Lucas’s motto resonate throughout American Gangster—either you make yourself, your name, your life distinguished or you join the dregs at the bottom of the street.
At that low street echelon, junkies shoot up, cops shoot the junkies, and Lucas’s brothers by both blood and business continue to disseminate chaos in a bag back to the junkies.
This endless cycle of penetration, execution, and dissemination provides the backdrop for the larger representation of Lucas’s motto, because the movie may spend a few moments in the street but much like Scarface or The Godfather, this film cannot draw its focus away from its hero, Frank Lucas.
Played by an actor adept at chewing gum intensely to make his character intimidating, Denzel Washington strolls through without any fear, only a certain self reliance backed up by a loose appearance masking severe violence underneath.
Lucas’s self-reliance, drawn from lessons by Lucas’s previous boss, leads him to take over the business and build that distinguished name, that celebrated life for himself.
Lucas imports heroin from
Leading this police investigation is Ritchie Roberts, the yang to Lucas’s yin as it applies to the latter’s motto. Ritchie is an honest lawyer for the prosecutor’s office, who after finding a one million dirty dollars in the trunk of a drug peon, turns it in to the police department because “it’s the right thing.”
With mostly erratic mannerisms and
two droopy by fatigue of disorder eyes, reminiscent of his performance in The
Insider, Russell Crowe is as intense as ever. As Ritchie, he builds that distinguished
name, that infamous life for himself by never letting go of the lawbreakers, refusing
bribes, and desperately wanting to expose the depth of corruption in
They may work on opposing sides of
the street, but they represent similar intentions in terms of the overall picture.
Frank Lucas wants to overcome the control exerted over his black and American
brethren, and build a comfortable, American life for his family.
On the other side is Ritchie, who wants to undermine the lack of control in the world due to the self-interested, horribly greedy control of both the products and money in the drug trafficking business by the police force.
At the same time, both men are confronted with similar rebukes. Lucas’s mother confronts his gangster lifestyle pointing how he will drive away those he loves by virtue (or lack thereof) of his business and the danger therein.
Then Ritchie is confronted by his wife, who tells him that by disregarding and lying to his family, he is no better than the dishonest cops he’s trying to expose.
While Ritchie may be getting closer to his goal, Lucas begins to lose his empire quickly. It is when these Lucas and Ritchie come face-to-face near the end that we see them as giants of progress, in vice and integrity respectively.
The film is sufficiently dark and somewhat morally ambiguous, given its portrayal of both Frank and Ritchie. There’s neither approval or disapproval of either character’s actions unless they hurt those around them.
In this way, American Gangster seems to be an attempt to justify men based on their love for others with men like Josh Brolin’s character who receives his just rewards for being entirely self-centered. However, Frank Lucas fulfills an upside-down savior figure who masks his own self-interest in gifts and devotion to family.
Regardless, this American Gangster doesn’t cut any corners, and director Ridley Scott builds an enjoyable drama on less of an epic scale and instead on more of a character study based on Steven Zaillian’s sharp, simple screenplay.
It may be too slow or less action packed than would interest some, but if the film’s characters (or actors!) interest you, then don’t let this American Gangster get away from you.